CHAPTER YII. 



Modelling of Animals by Substitution op Clay, Com- 

 position^ Plaster Casts, or "Wax for Loose 

 Stuffing. 



The subject to be now treated of is of so varied a nature, 

 requiring so great a knowledge of anatomy, and so much 

 experience and aptitude, tbat I bave deemed it advisable to 

 reserve for a separate chapter the explanations of the processes 

 to be learned, to avoid, at the outset, confusing the learner by 

 asking him to attempt too much. This chapter may therefore 

 be considered a finishing one, and, perhaps, it will be best 

 to be candid, and say at once, that no one should attempt the 

 mounting of animals by this method until he has fully mastered 

 the principles laid down in the foregoing chapter, and has 

 learned the characteristic attitudes and exjpression of some 

 hundreds of animal forms. 



It is quite true that this art — ^which has for its end and aim 

 ihe better delineation of character as exhibited by the lower 

 animals — is not teachable unless the pupil is well grounded in 

 anatomy, and is also a clever draughtsman and modeller — in fine, 

 an artist ! — ^with all an artist's perception of beauty of line and of 

 form. I will here indicate what I take to be the basis upon which 

 a competent taxidermist must proceed to become a zoological 

 artist. Pirst, then, let him take lessons in drawing, pinning 

 himself steadily to copying pictures by the best masters of 

 zoological subjects ; as he advances, let him draw from the casts 

 of animals, when procurable. Let him beware, however, of the 

 conventional lion, and lion's head, which are about as much like 



